Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Sign me up for the Great British Bake Off - Orange Is The New Black Season 1 finale time - It's definitely been ice cream weather - #TBT to my graduation from University exactly one year ago - I picked up a pair of Clubmaster look-a-likes from Primark - Catching up with Bridget Jones - My favourite kind of fries - My New Look summer delivery (find New Look post here) - This is basically the best photograph of James Franco EVER as well as my new phone background - A much needed Devious Maids catch up - MUST. STOP. BUYING. NAIL. POLISHES! - Now that I've finished OITNB what am I going to watch now? - I really can't believe that Lord Sugar retweeted my blog post and tweeted me too! - Oh and Pablo Schreiber (aka. Pornstache from OITNB) just happened to favourite my tweet! - So much love for these M&S mashed potatoes - Online shopping and being ill don't exactly mix all that well - Sunday afternoon pamper session - So I've started Girls from the very beginning once again - You can save £2 on all Essie nail polishes at Boots with the Stylist magazine - I made an attempt to organise my beauty drawers - This Vichy Eau Thermale has been a real godsend in this ridiculously warm weather - I forgot I even had these Zara shoes - For all you Breaking Bad fans out there - So so tempted to press buy when it comes to this Marie Dress from Black Milk

Firstly, how ridiculously warm and humid has it been here in the UK this month? I am definitely not used to this much sunshine and heat. How has the weather been where you are? July has also been the month where all eyes have been on my hometown of Glasgow thanks to the Commonwealth Games. Whilst it's been rather hectic in terms of road closures, it's been amazing to see Glasgow in such a positive light and bathed in sunshine. Despite not going to any of the events in person I've found myself absolutely glued to the TV. Have you been watching any of the events? If so, what have been your favourite sports and which athletes have you been cheering on?

This has also certainly been my month when it comes to Twitter (I'm @ellistuesday (link here) if you don't follow me on there already). Not only did Lord Sugar retweet one of my blog posts but Pablo Schreiber favourited one of my tweets (cue fangirl levels of excitement. Hehe). I also just found out yesterday that I have won an amazing Twitter competition with Superdrug and Cocoa Brown as well. I still can't really believe it!

What was your June like? Please feel free to send me your instagram links and I'll be sure to check them out.

Sunday, 27 July 2014

The Body Shop Smoky 2 in 1 Gel Liner Eyes And Brows* £10When I first heard that The Body Shop were releasing a 2 in 1 gel liner I was definitely intrigued to see what the end product would be like and here it is! How clever is the design of this liner? As you can see in the photographs that follow, the brush and the gel liner are separate entities brought together by the middle piece. Not really sure what to call this middle piece but I hope you can see what I mean, as it allows the brush to be inserted into the top and the gel to be screwed on to the bottom. The way the pieces fit together, to create a portable and compact liner product, is really rather ingenious.

As I've recently been converted when it comes to using gel liners, all thanks to the They're Real! Push-Up Liner from Benefit (review here) I couldn't wait to see how this offering from The Body Shop faired in comparison.This Smoky 2 in 1 gel liner comes in two different shades; brown and black (which is the colour that I will be reviewing). I have to be completely honest with you, when it comes to this 2 in 1 gel liner, I can only really comment on one of the two functions; using it as an eye liner. As an incredibly pale redhead, I know this black gel liner won't work for my brows but I hope you can still get a sense of what this product might be able to do for you, if you in fact have darker brows than I do and adore black eye liner as well.

Firstly I have to praise the brush that is included with the Smoky 2 in 1 Gel Liner. It's incredibly soft and allows you to get really close to the lash line. It also enables you to create a very clean line as well as giving you the option to create a smokier look, like the name would imply. The gel itself is even softer than the brush (which was such a wonderful surprise). It's highly pigmented, as I hope you can see below, especially in the second swatch in particular, but again you can easily blend the gel to create a flawless smoky eye.Another aspect of this gel liner that I really adore is the fact that it doesn't dry instantaneously. If you're not the neatest or quickest when it comes to applying eye liner, then this gives you the reassurance that you can take your time to perfect your liner. This is one way in which The Body Shop's liner differs from the They're Real! Push-Up Liner. Another is the fact that this gel liner is considerably easier to remove. It only takes a couple of drops of micellar water to melt this liner away whilst Benefit's needed it's own dedicated remover (review here). All in all this 2 in 1 Gel Liner, when used as an eye liner, truly is spectacular and well worth the money.

As a gel eye liner, I could not be more impressed with this product but that's only one aspect of the 2 in 1 element. When it comes to using this gel liner for both the eyes and the brows, that's where I take issue with this product. Being a redhead who swears by her black eye liners, I could possibly get away with using the brown liner for my brows. But that would mean buying both the liners to do the two jobs, essentially defeating the purpose for me. This is only really an issue if you're in the same predicament as I am (having fair eyebrows but loving black eye liner). If you have dark hair and dark brows, or consequently fair brows and a fondness for brown eye liner, then I have a feeling that this product will work brilliantly for you.

The Body Shop Smoky 2 in 1 Gel Liner Eyes And Brows launches online and in stores on the 13th of August. Will you be checking out this product when it's released? What do you think of it? Do you like the idea of a 2 in 1 gel liner?

Friday, 25 July 2014

Nails Inc Notting Hill Gate £11July's polish is Notting Hill Gate, a fantastically bright neon pink. I actually remember when I first saw (and fell in love with) this particular polish. Nails Inc released an array of beautiful neon shades a little while back but the one that really stood out for me was this electric pink polish. I contemplated picking it up every single time I walked by the Nails Inc stand in my local Boots store but for some reason or another I never got around to adding it to my basket. So you can imagine how ecstatic I was to find the perfect fluorescent pink, that had eluded me thus far, in my Nails Inc Nail Polish Diary.This really is the ideal shade for July. I couldn't have picked a better polish to represent this summer month. It's been an incredibly warm and sunny summer so far (even here in Scotland), meaning neon nails are definitely appropriate at the moment. If you've been watching the Commonwealth Games then you'll have an idea of how beautiful the weather has been here in Glasgow.Despite the vivid pink shade being one that I'm totally besotted with, I've actually been rather disappointed with the formula of this polish. As you might be able to tell from the photograph above, this isn't the thickest of nail polishes. I was actually really surprised at how sheer this neon pink is. It actually reminded me a lot of the OPI Sheer Tints collection when I first applied the initial coat. I've never had this kind of issue with any of the Nails Inc polishes that I've tried in the past and it's certainly much sheerer than I'm used to with Nails Inc. It's not really a huge problem or something that would instantly put me off reaching for this particular bottle but it is something to bear in mind, especially if you're not a fan of polishes which require several coats. Instead of two coats (which is the number of coats that I have applied above) I would certainly say that three coats would be advisable to achieve a consistent and opaque application.

What do you think of this polish? Are you a fan of neon shades for the summer? If so, what are your favourite neon nail polishes?

When I was asked how I would style a pair of shorts for the summer I instantly had a pair in mind. My legs aren't necessarily my favourite feature, by quite a long shot, so I'm always on the look out for styles that flatter. As I'm a little self conscious about the tops of my thighs in particular, my main priority is to find a pair that don't draw too much attention to that area. When I saw this pair of high waisted shorts I knew I had found the perfect pair to base an outfit around and to take inspiration from.Whenever I buy a statement piece such as these, the first thing I think about is how can I take this item from day to night, especially when it's an item that will be coming with me on holiday. So I have chosen some pieces to compliment these beautiful Paisley print shorts, which allow them to be worn both day and night with incredible ease.

Blue Paisley Print Crochet Hem High Waisted Shorts* £14.99First up are the shorts themselves. As I mentioned briefly above, I'm not the most confident when it comes to flashing my legs on a warm summer's day, so I always have a little list in my mind of styles to avoid (primarily hotpants and clingy materials) and styles that I find flatter my body shape (high waisted and floaty materials). As soon as I saw this pair I was over the moon to find that they were both high waisted and made of 100% cotton. Not only that but just look at that print! I really do love a good Paisley print and this is stunningly intricate and interesting without being too in your face. And then the beautiful crochet trim around the hem takes this pair of shorts to a whole new level!

This shade of blue is simply stunning as well. It's the perfect mix of a cobalt blue and a navy blue and then you have the welcome addition of the light blue swirls and red dotted accents in this Paisley print design. These truly are my dream pair of shorts come true!

Dark Red V Neck Cami* £9.99I then picked out the red from the Paisley print with this dark red V neck cami. I've been on the lookout for the perfect cami top for quite some time now to no real avail. I've found that either they're a little on the pricey side (I'm looking at you Topshop!) or they're not exactly the best quality (sorry Primark!) but this one from New Look really does match affordability and quality like no other.I also absolutely adore the dark red shade. It's not the first colour you would think of buying for the summer but what I really love is the fact it will work all year round. I can definitely see myself wearing this in the colder months with a big cardigan thrown over it. And I'm all about finding transitional pieces that take you from one season to the next with no problem at all.

Tan Leather Look T-Bar Sandals* £7.99Normally when it comes to buying a new pair of sandals for the summer, I tend to pick up a pair of cheap flip flops that don't exactly go with every outfit that I choose to bring on holiday with me. This year I've been specifically looking for a pair of tan leather look sandals and I just so happened to find this pair on the New Look website (link here). At £7.99 I certainly don't feel too guilty about buying a new pair of sandals, especially when and if the the weather takes a turn for the worse. Fingers crossed it doesn't.I was really surprised at the quality of these considering the bargain of a price tag. I mean just look at that gold metal detailing at the front of the sandal! You can also get this particular design in a wide array of different colours, including gold, coral and fuschia. Another plus point; they run true to size.My only slight issue with these sandals is the fact that they do seem to be quite narrow. I don't have particularly wide feet myself but if my feet were even just a little bit wider then they would definitely be hanging over the edge. This is something to bear in mind if you normally buy your shoes from the wide fit section in New Look.

Dark Blue Spike Tooth Necklace* £7.99As soon as I saw this necklace I thought it was almost too good to be true. It essentially has the same stunning colours that I found in the shorts and the camisole top along with some other great shades that work well to compliment the outfit as a whole. I really do love wearing statement necklaces like these. I can certainly see myself throwing on this necklace to take me from day to night on my holiday in a few months time. Saying that, I also think that this is the kind of necklace that would work equally well during the day as it's not too over the top or blingy for daytime wear.Gold Chevron Diamond Stud Earrings* £2.99Finally to complete my summer look, I found myself picking up one more accessory to bring a bit of gold into the equation. As the spike tooth necklace has a fantastic gold chain and gold interspersed between the teeth themselves, I instantly knew gold was the right metal to go with. It also matches the gold metal detailing on the front of the sandals too.These are the kind of earrings that can easily be worn day or night or both and the chevron design makes them really interesting and summer appropriate, in my eyes.So what do you think of the items I picked up? How would you style shorts for the summer? Have you picked up any summer pieces from New Look recently? If so, I'd love to hear what you have been buying?

Sunday, 20 July 2014

As soon as I started using this product I felt the need to instantly share my love for it with as many people as possible. If you follow me on Instagram (@ellistuesday)or caught a glimpse of it in my This Has Been: June post (link here)then you may already know how this review is going to pan out, as I raved about it on both of those occasions. However, I did want to make sure that I gave this product the same amount of time to properly put to the test as any other skincare product that I review so that's why the review is coming to you today, over a month later.

As soon as I smelled this it really was love. I have a feeling this will be the kind of fragrance that many will adore. I really do recommend making a trip to your local Boots store to have a little sniff of the Oil Beauty range, as trust me, you won't regret it! Before I had even applied the lotion to the skin I was already completely sold on it. I just had to cross my fingers that the product itself would live up to that spectacular scent. Since I was already rather infatuated with the scent, I immediately turned my attention to the claims on the front of the bottle, before applying this for the first time.Aimed at those with dry skin, this lotion really does work wonders on my dry and often flaky skin. Let's just put it this way, if it works for my skin, it will work for yours. I struggle all year round with incredibly dehydrated skin. In the past I have even experienced a tight burning sensation if I forget to moisturise regularly. So if you have dry to very dry skin then I would definitely recommend giving this lotion a whirl as it really does soak right in whilst providing an impressive amount of moisture to the skin.

In terms of the other promises on the front of the bottle, this isn't sticky or greasy at all. One sure fire way for me to give up on a moisturising product is if it leaves the skin feeling slippery or if it just doesn't absorb almost instantaneously. There's no need to wipe your hands after using this which is always a big plus for me when moisturising.This also has a pump applicator. Now if you've been reading Ellis Tuesday for a little while then you will know how much this pleases me. It just makes it so quick and easy to apply without the mess. I'm also not a huge fan of delving my fingers into tubs of product so this is just another reason why I love the Oil Beauty Nourishing Lotion. It really is one of the best moisturisers I've ever tried and I know it's one that I will definitely be repurchasing. I also already have my eye on the Oil Beauty Scrubwhich also looks fabulous. At less than £5, this lotion really is great value for money.

Have you tried any of the Oil Beauty range? If so, what do you think of it?

Friday, 18 July 2014

We're The Millers (2013)Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Anniston, Emma Roberts, Will PoulterWhen I saw this was on TV I made a point of watching it as I had heard a lot of good things about We're The Millers. I'm quite the fan of Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses is definitely one of my favourite comedies of recent years) and it was also great to see Nick Offerman (aka. Ron Swanson from Parks & Recreation) as well as Kathryn Hahn (aka. Jen Barkley on Parks & Recreation.) Can you tell I'm pretty obsessed with Parks & Rec? Hehe.The concept is a pretty good one as Jason Sudeikis' character is forced to smuggle drugs across the border from Mexico but as a lone male driving an RV filled with drugs across the border would look somewhat suspicious, he hires a a pretend family to pose as 'The Millers.' This faux family consists of Jennifer Anniston's character, a stripper, who poses as his wife and Emma Roberts and Will Poulter, a runaway and his neighbour respectively, who act as his children.This had the potential to be a really funny movie and I did laugh more than a few times whilst watching this but it just didn't fully live up to the expectations that I had of it. It's still the kind of movie that you can stick on when you're looking for something that doesn't require too much thinking. I hope that makes sense. I basically mean it's the kind of movie that you can put on in the background and still follow.Orange Is the New Black (2013-)Starring: Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Jason Biggs, Taryn ManningAfter finishing Breaking Bad(review here) I felt like I needed to start a new show straight away to fill the void in my evenings. Coincidentally just as I finished Breaking Bad, season two of Orange Is the New Black started streaming on Neftlix. Can you tell I spend an unhealthy amount of time watching Netflix? After seeing so many people raving about it on every social media platform that I use, I thought I would give it a try. I wasn't instantly blown away by it but once you get a few episodes in and more of the characters' back stories start to be revealed, you quickly feel pretty invested in this show. Despite Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) being the character that drives the narrative, I actually find the array of secondary characters much more interesting. Taystee (Danielle Brooks), Red (Kate Mulgrew), Joe Caputo (Nick Sandow) and Crazy Eyes (Uzo Aduba) are all brilliant and Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning) is incredible as the meth head turned devout Christian.I also shouldn't have googled Pablo Schreiber as soon as I saw the opening credits. I only did so to see if he was in any way related to Liev Schreiber, which he is but now I'm kinda in love with the detestable Pornstache. All I can say is google Pablo Schreiber and you'll get what I mean.I just finished season two the other night and I'm already counting down the days until season three premieres.You're Next (2011)Starring: Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, Wendy Glenn, A.J. BowenNow to say I've watched a lot of sub-par horror movies would be a definite understatement. If you take a look back through some of the previous What I've Been Watching posts (link here) it becomes pretty apparent that this is the case. However, as soon as You're Next started I had a feeling I was about to put an end to my run of bad horror movie picks.This is genuinely one of the best horror movies I have ever seen! Right from the very beginning I was hooked. To give you a feel for what kind of horror movie You're Next is, the movie centres around a family reunion which is quickly disrupted as masked assassins start picking off the family members one by one. It starts with some incredibly creepy moments (even as I think about them now I'm getting a little freaked out) and the next thing you know you're rooting for the characters, especially the lead female Erin (Sharni Vinson). It's definitely not your typical horror movie in any sense and all I can say is I definitely need to sign myself up for some survival classes after watching this. Are they even a thing over here? Hehe.You're Next is just such a smart horror movie, especially when you compare it to some of the others that have been released recently. Add in some great dark humour, Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies(review here) director) playing my favourite character in this and a great use of music and you've got yourself a horror movie that you certainly won't regret watching!

The Heat (2013)Starring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Marlon Wayans, Taran KillamThis was another one of those movies, much like We're The Millers, that I'd heard a lot of hype around but never actively sought out when it was in the cinema or when it had been released on DVD. I saw it was the Friday movie on Sky Premiere and since there was absolutely nothing on TV one night (how rubbish has the TV been recently?) I thought to myself, why not give it a try?This is essentially a buddy cop movie except this time the cops are women. A lot of it reminded me of 21 Jump Street for one reason or another. Maybe that's because they were trying to solve a drug related caper and it was a buddy cop movie but it was nowhere near as funny as 21 Jump Street, which has to one of my favourite comedies of recent years. I did get a few laughs watching this, I thought the tracheatomy scene was incredibly funny, if not a little unnecessary but I didn't think it was anywhere near as good as everyone had made out. Again like We're The Millers, I would say if you're looking for a comedy to stick on in the background then you could do a lot worse than The Heat but you could also do a lot better.All Good Things (2010)Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank LangellaThis was a case of oh, Ryan Gosling's in this, well I just need to watch it! Does anyone else do that when it comes to some of their favourite actors or for me, actors that you've got quite the crush on?I hadn't heard much about this movie before watching it, which I was definitely quite surprised by. Normally as soon as I profess my love for Ryan Gosling to friends or colleagues they, if they share my Gosling obsession, give me recommendations of their favourite new movies he's be in. Not one had mentioned this movie so that did make me a little apprehensive as to why I had never heard of it. Now I completely understand why no one at all had mentioned this movie. It wasn't exactly great. It's actually one of the strangest movies that I've seen in a very long time and I certainly wouldn't watch it again, put it that way. It was just so peculiar that I actually considered switching it off several times but I persevered foolishly, once again. Not really my kind of film at all! Even Gosling couldn't make this movie watchable movie for me!Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013)Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Spike JonzeAs a big fan of the Jackass TV show and movies (I think I watch at least one Jackass movie a month) as soon as the trailer for Bad Grandpawas released, I knew it would be a movie that I would need to see. Jackass humour isn't for everyone at the best of times but this just wasn't what I was expecting from the Jackass team at all. Even though Johnny Knoxville was the only one from the Jackass guys to appear in this movie, basically the entire crew (Jeff Tremaine as director, Spike Jonze as producer and even Lance Bangs and Dimitry Elyashkevich as cinematographers) was the same and yet it just didn't hit the mark for me at all.Truthfully the Irving Zisman (the Bad Grandpa) skits weren't my favourite from the Jackass movies by quite a long shot. So the gags that I didn't necessarily find funny or like half as much as the others in the movies and the TV show seemed to make their way into Bad Grandpa on more than a few occasions. A lot of the scenes and gags felt recycled. In some cases it felt like many of the scenes in this were exactly shot for shot the same as some of the Irving Zisman scenes from the other movies.Out of the entire movie I think I maybe laughed about four times and three of those laughs were at scenes that I had already seen in the trailer. I really couldn't believe how disappointing this movie was, especially as a big Jackass fan.What have you been watching this month? Do you have any recommendations? Have you seen any of these? If so, what did you think of them?

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

When I was given the fantastic opportunity to try out some of the Tropic Skincare range, I was incredibly excited. To say that my current skincare routine had got a little stagnant would be a bit of an understatement. So when this wonderful selection of some of their skin care products arrived at my door I couldn't wait to start testing them out. All I can say, is that these products have very quickly revolutionised my skincare routine, which is quite the statement, considering I've had the same skincare routine for years now.All of the products in the Tropic Skincare range are 100% natural, cruelty free, made with natural plant extracts and Vegan Society approved.

Tropic Smoothing Cleanser* £15A good, let me rephrase that, a great cleanser is always going to be a skincare essential and if you feel like you haven't found the one for you yet, then let me introduce you to the Smoothing Cleanser from Tropic Skincare.This really does melt away all make-up, even waterproof eye make-up. My traditional means of removing make-up has now become pretty defunct (I'm sorry micellar waters!) Despite it removing make-up completely, it does so in a very gentle manner, which means no rubbing or scrubbing as you attempt to remove your make-up. It feels fantastic on the skin as it is just so rich and creamy.Included with the smoothing cleanser is a 100% Organic Bamboo fibre face cloth, which is naturally antibacterial and also the softest face cloth that I've ever used. This means that it's well equipped to buff away dead skin cells whilst simultaneously smoothing the skin in conjunction with the cleanser. Believe it or not the cloth actually becomes even softer with every use which is why I think I've been reaching for this as much as I have been.For me, this really is a must have product to add to your skincare routine.

Tropic Vitamin Toner Refreshing Spritz* £12As the weather has been abnormally warm recently, this product has been a real life saver when it comes to cooling the skin. This is no surprise when you consider the fact that cucumber, Aloe Vera and camomile are included in this refreshing toner. The skin instantly feels soothed and vitality is boosted with this wonderful product. This really is enriched with some fantastic skin loving vitamins, like the name would imply. Vitamin A, E and C and antioxidants that detoxify are present in this product and I've definitely noticed a real difference since I've started using this toner, in conjunction with the other Tropic Skincare products in this blog post. I've seen a visible reduction in the amount of redness in my skin and since I've exclusively been using these products on my skin for the last month, I can quite certainly give Tropic Skincare the credit for my improved and clarified complexion.You can either use clean hands or a cotton wool pad (I personally prefer the latter) to apply the toner to the face and neck. It's then best to follow up this product with the Skin Revive Firming Nourishing Cream, making these two the perfect duo.

Tropic Skin Revive Firming Nourishing Cream* £20Following on from the Vitamin Toner, the Skin Revive Firming Nourishing Cream is a moisturiser packed full of even more vitamins, antioxidants and pure plant actives. These all work together to visibly firm the skin and leave it feeling intensely nourished. Basically the clue is in the name with this product. Some of the ingredients include shea butter, rosehip, blueberry, raspberry, sea kelp and Frankincense which all work on targeting different skin problems. Add into the equation the fact that this product and the array of ingredients that I have mentioned, work to improve the elasticity of the skin as well as smoothing fine lines and you've got a winner for many different skin types and ages as well. This is one of the first face creams or moisturisers where my skin hasn't had to adjust to using it. You know what I mean? You normally have that awkward stage where your skin either breaks out or gets unusually oily as it tries to adjust to using a new product. There was none of that with this cream. I definitely think the fact that it's so natural plays a big part in that.

Tropic Face Smooth Polish* £15Now I have to make a confession, I have never used a facial exfoliant before. I think it might be due to the fact that I've always worried that those kinds of products would irritate my face. But after trying this Face Smooth Polish from Tropic Skincare, I now feel like I've been missing out a crucial part of my skincare routine. The consistency is a little gritty (obviously it needs to be somewhat gritty in texture to do it's job) but saying that, it hasn't caused any irritation whatsoever when it comes to my sensitive skin.This polish works to cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturise all in one go. So this is definitely the product to try if you're looking to streamline your skincare routine or add in a much needed exfoliant to your current routine, like I have.It smells absolutely beautiful. Think lemons and sweet oranges (which are only two of the vast array of ingredients). In addition to these two, you've got Acai Berry, organic rice flour, sugar cane, camomile, Vitamin E and more, all in the one tub.This also comes with a wooden spatula (which does look a little bit like a big ice lolly stick) which is really great, especially if you're not a fan of dipping your fingers into your skincare products. And a little really does go a long way. I've personally been using this once a week, normally on a Sunday night and can see this lasting me a good while.

What do you think of these products? Have you ever tried any of the Tropic Skincare range? If so, what products are your favourites? I'd love to hear your suggestions on what products to try next.

For the final Summer Sun-days post in the series (for this summer anyway) I just had to share my hand luggage essentials, many of which I have already reviewed in full on here before (links to reviews above).Admittedly my hand luggage is usually filled to the brim with magazines that I pick up at the airport and more junk food than I necessarily need (but sometimes a selection of crisps, sweets and chocolate are a necessity, especially when you're on a long haul flight). For me, my hand luggage essentials are almost exactly the same as the essentials that I carry around with me, on a daily basis, in my handbag. Minus my Passport and foreign currency though as well as the one product that I've been searching for for quite some time; a good pair of sunglasses. That's where the amazing Sunglasses Shop really saved the day!

Ralph by Ralph Lauren 5150 Sunglasses* £77These are honestly the most beautiful sunglasses that I have ever laid eyes on! Whilst many designer sunglasses are often copied and mimicked on the high street, I've never found the perfect cat eye frame for me... until now. These 5150 shades from Ralph by Ralph Lauren are simply spectacular. I feel like a Hollywood siren when I'm wearing these, even when I'm only wearing these with a t-shirt and skinny jeans. And thankfully it has been sunny enough here in Scotland to already start wearing them. Aren't these truly the perfect summer essential? Well, if you think the same then I have some very exciting news to share with you!

To mark this final Summer Sun-days post, the sensational Sunglasses Shop have very kindly given me the opportunity to hold a Summer Sun-days giveaway. This means you have the chance to win your own pair of Ralph by Ralph Lauren sunglasses, of your choosing, up to the value of £80. There are so many exquisite styles to choose from in the Ralph by Ralph Lauren range on the Sunglasses Shop website. There are aviators, tortoise shell frames and funky designs such as these black and blue crystal shades. You really are spoiled for choice when it comes to the Ralph by Ralph Lauren range.

So here are the rules:

This giveaway is openinternationally.

There are three mandatoryentries: you must be following me on Bloglovin' (link here),like the Sunglasses Shop Facebook page (link here)and leave a comment below with the pair you would like to win to enter (I will be checking to make sure).

The competition will run for a fortnight (14 days) so it will end at midnight on Sunday 27th of July.

The winner will be picked at random by rafflecopter. The winner will then have 48 hours to send me over their details or I will pick another winner. The prize will then be issued by the Sunglasses Shop.

Friday, 11 July 2014

As you might be aware, I have the tendency to accumulate more beauty products than I necessarily need. And for that reason, storage is always an issue for me. Two drawers of my chest of drawers are already dedicated to all things beauty but even these are now filled to the brim. On top of that, I alwaysseem to have a plethora of beauty products dotted all over my bedroom which isn't always ideal. This week has been dedicated to a massive clear-out and reorganisation of my beauty products and that's where this incredible wash bag has really come in handy. When I was given the fantastic opportunity to review one of Catseye London's brand new releases I was over the moon to say the least. Catseye London have some of the most creative and fun designs of any brand that I've ever seen. Let's just say if you're a fan of vintage, kitschy or cute animal designs then you will feel like you have hit the jackpot when you click onto their site (link here). In addition to some of their already amazing designs and products, Catseye London have just released some spectacular brand new products, collections and designs, of which the Frog Prince is included, as part of the adorable Fairytale collection.

Just look how vibrant and vivid the print is! The colours really pop in this gorgeous design and I absolutely adore the pretty floral and lily pad setting. As the wash bag is made from PVC, internally and externally, this means that it is incredibly easy to clean. You can also fit all of your beauty essentials and more into this sizeable wash bag. The dimensions are 18cm (Height) x 31cm (Width) x 7cm (Depth) for reference.

So this wash bag is most definitely coming on holiday with me this year. It will be great to know that I can fit all of my essentials in the one bag instead of a couple of different make-up bags, like I usually have to do. I think Catseye London's range of wash bags would also be great for those attending festivals throughout the summer, as well as those going on mini breaks and long weekends away.What makes this feel like a real luxury purchase, despite it only being £15, is the fantastic inclusion of a really handy dust bag. That's what you can see a little of below. It's a dust bag with a drawstring top. Now how cool is that? If only all companies that you bought handbags and accessories from operated like that. I know my wardrobe would be in a much neater state if that was the case.

What do you think of the new Catseye London collections? Which one is your favourite? I think I'm definitely torn between the Satchel collection and the Canine Cuties collection. I might just need to buy a few pieces from each! Hehe.

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Unless you've been living under a rock when it comes to beauty products in the past couple of months, I have a feeling you will be more than aware that Benefit Cosmetics have released two brand new eye make-up products; the They're Real! Push-Up Liner and the They're Real! Remover. I've actually tried my best to avoid all other reviews of these newly released products, whilst I've been trying them out, to make sure that I give the products a fair assessment. Now that I've had a quick read through some of the reviews of the Push-Up Liner in particular, I'm glad that I wasn't swayed or influenced by the somewhat mixed reviews that I've seen. I've had a good couple of weeks to really put the three products, when you include the They're Real! Mascara, to the test. So if you're looking for an in-depth review of the Benefit They're Real! trio, then you've come to the right place.

Benefit They're Real! Push-Up Liner* £18.50It would be criminal (see what I did there?) not to start with the most exciting and innovative of the three They're Real! products. This eagerly anticipated and remarkable push-up liner blends together the benefits of a gel eye liner and a pen applicator to create one of the most buzzed about beauty releases that I have ever seen/heard of. What really makes this liner an exciting prospect, for me personally, is the AccuFlex™ tip. This flexible and soft angled tip allows you to glide along the natural curve of your lash line and really get the liner to hug the lash line.

The formula itself is a true matte black gel which doesn't smudge, budge or fade. I couldn't believe how incredibly quickly this liner dries. That's perhaps my only minor issue with the They're Real! Push-Up Liner, if you're not quick or particularly neat when applying this then it's not the easiest of products to quickly alter or remove. Once it has dried it's there for good, which isn't necessarily a negative at all, as long as you have a good eye make-up remover at hand.

When you first use the Push-Up Liner you only need to twist the base a couple of times before the gel appears from the AccuFlex™ tip.I purposefully twisted the bottom of the product several more times than you would need to ordinarily, just to show you how the product is dispensed and how it appears when you use it.

Can you tell I had fun playing with this the first time I used it? Hehe. As you can see, you can really create a variety of thicknesses and flicks with this liner. You can even use the liner to create a smoky kohl-like effect, which hopefully the last three lines demonstrate. Now as I briefly mentioned above, this stuff does not budge at all once it has dried. There is no need to reapply this liner throughout the day and it literally does not come off until you decide to remove it. This leads me on nicely to the next product in the They're Real! trio and the second of the brand new Benefit releases; the They're Real! Remover.

Benefit They're Real! Remover* £15.50As I will reiterate throughout this post, if you want to make sure you can easily remove the They're Real make-up products then I would seriously consider purchasing the They're Real! Remover. If you have tried the They're Real! Mascara before, which I will go into more detail about below, then you will know how tough the mascara is to remove. Even after using my go-to micellar water, I would still be able to see and feel it on my lashes, which is probably why I don't wear it as much as I would like to... until now.As you can hopefully see, the Remover itself is of a creamy consistency.

Unlike with micellar waters and traditional eye make-up removers, you don't need to spend ages rubbing your eyes to get rid of every last trace of the products in question. This remover is really powerful despite being as gentle and creamy as it is. It melts away even the toughest of products, which the They're Real! Push-Up Liner and Mascara are, as well as any other waterproof make-up products you might use.

You can also use a cotton swab with a tiny amount of the They're Real! Remover on the tip of it to quickly fix any eye make-up mistakes, which is especially great when you first try the They're Real! Push-Up Liner out. The They're Real! Remover is also suitable for those with sensitive eyes and those who wear contact lenses.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara* Was £19.50 Now £17.50As I mentioned in my last post (link here), the only mascara that I've ever paid more than £10 for or bought outwith the drugstore, was Benefit's They're Real! Mascara. It has been a firm favourite of mines ever since but as I mentioned above, it really is a pain to remove (without the They're Real! Remover). So for quite a while it has been reserved for special occasions only.The mascara itself is a true black shade which truly adds volume and length to the lashes without having to apply several coats. But what I really adore about this mascara is the wonderful wand. Firstly it's rubbery instead of the traditional brushes that I typically gravitate towards but what makes this wand something special is the fact that the bristles also appear at the top of the wand. This means you can really catch every lower lash, which is something I normally struggle to achieve. I also spied that Look Fantastic currently have the They're Real! Mascara on offer for only £17.50 at the moment (link here). So I would be sure to snap up that deal if you want to try out all three of the They're Real! products, which I honestly can't recommend enough.
I think to buy the three products separately would be to do yourself and Benefit an injustice. If you go for the brand new Push-Up Liner I would definitely recommend picking up the Remover or at least a sample of the Remover from your nearest Benefit counter as you might find the liner a bit of a nightmare to remove without it. Same goes for the mascara.So what do you think of the They're Real! trio? Have you tried any of these products? If so, what do you think of them? Will you be picking up any of the They're Real! products any time soon?

Sunday, 6 July 2014

When it comes to the summer I seem to treat myself to more and more luxury make-up products (I blame the brand new summer releases and the fact that there are so many different sales on at the moment). I definitely make most of my make-up purchases in the drugstore but I do love a good nose around the local department stores and Space NK is an obvious beauty blogger haven too. If you want to see what drugstore make-up products I've picked up this summer then be sure to check out my Summer Sun-days: Drugstore Make-up post(link here).I thought this would also be a great post to share with those who will be visiting duty free this summer. It's certainly always worth stopping by either on your way to your destination or on the way home as you can really get some great discounts and savings on luxury beauty products and make-up. When you take into consideration some of the VAT free prices on offer and special deals, it would be rude not to have a look. That's the way I operate anyway. Hehe.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara* £19Now I've seen quite a few reviews of this mascara recently. I think it might have something to do with the fact that it was included in The British Beauty Blogger Dream beauty box. I can now completely understand why it was included in that beauty box and why so many bloggers have been raving about it.Normally I'm all about the drugstore mascaras, my all time favourite being Maybelline's Colossal mascara. The only other mascara that I own, that I didn't buy from the drugstore, is Benefit's They're Real mascara which I do really love but I wouldn't rush out to buy another, especially when I can find great alternatives in the drugstore. Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara, on the other hand, is a whole different story! I've never tried a mascara quite like this one before. It really is incredible and it's one of those products that you can completely justify spending the extra money on. Considering Benefit's offering is £19.50 and I didn't really bat an eyelid (see what I did there? Hehe) I wouldn't hesitate about repurchasing Too Faced's mascara at all. My lashes look lengthened and separated and it gives them the added volume that I always look for in a mascara. On top of that, the formula is a true black shade and doesn't clump or flake, even when I've been wearing it all day in this warm weather.

NARS Tropical Princess Eyeshadow Duo* £25When I think luxury make-up, the first brand that comes to mind has to be NARS. Any time I'm looking to treat myself to some high-end make-up it's the direction I always head in. I did just treat myself to the Matte Multiple in Anguilla last month, which I'll need to review very soon as I'm absolutely loving it.This beautiful eye shadow duo is part of the Adult Swim collection, which is the collection for Summer 2014.

The two shades in this eyeshadow duo are described as a neon lemon lime and an icy lavender, which I think you can agree sounds as beautiful as they look here.The eye shadows are extremely pigmented and incredibly soft. What I love about the formula of these is the fact that they are effortless to blend and there is no fall out when these are applied. Since this is part of the Adult Swim Summer 2014 collection, this particular eyeshadow duo is limited edition. So if these look like the kind of shades for you, then I'd make sure to pick this up whilst you still can. Do you have any recommendations on shades or duos to try out? I nowfeel the need to try out more of the NARS shadows after falling in love with the quality of this duo.

Jurlique Rose Love Balm* £10Some days in the summer, normally depending on the heat, I will go sans make-up. The only product I tend to make sure I apply on those days is a lip balm and I've had the pleasure of trying out the Rose Love Balm from Jurlique over the past couple of weeks.I've really enjoyed trying this out, even though I'm not the biggest fan of lip glosses where I have to dip my finger into it to apply it. I think that's just me being a bit of a germaphobe though. This balm melts onto the lips despite it being quite a hard waxy texture in the tin. Again, like many good lip balms, it can also be used on other areas of the body. As the consistency of the balm is waxy, I have been applying a little to my cuticles, which feel like they might need a little extra TLC as the weather gets warmer. These are now much softer than they were a month or so ago. This is a nice treat for the summer due to the floral fragrance of the rose which is a nice change from some of the other lip balms that I tend to use in the winter.Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lip Gloss in Brazen Berry Shine £18

Brazen Berry Shine has quickly become my go to lip gloss for the warmer weather. It's actually the best lip gloss I have ever tried. I'm aware that that sounds like quite a big claim and it is, especially when I think about the real variety of lip glosses that I have tried in the past. It's the kind of shade that will work equally well in the winter as it does in the summer, which is a real bonus.This Pure Colour Lip Gloss smells absolutely incredible. It's highly pigmented yet it isn't overly sticky. I've yet to put this to the test in very windy weather (it's been unusually calm in Scotland recently, weather wise anyway) but I have a feeling this will cope pretty well in terms of not ending up a sticky mess. It also certainly lives up to it's name. The shine from this gloss is pretty unbelievable and it has a wonderfully fruity berry scent which I adore. I really can't fault this lip gloss at all! I know I'll definitely be picking up some more shades to try out very soon.

(From left to right: Daniel Sandler Grey Velvet Waterproof Eyeliner lightly and heavily swatched, Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lip Gloss in Brazen Berry Shine swatched)Daniel Sandler Grey Velvet Waterproof Eyeliner* £9.25When it comes to eye liner I very rarely stray away from the traditional black eye liners that make up the large majority of my collection. Saying that I do have a few teal and blue eye liner pencils that I keep meaning to start wearing more regularly but they do normally end up at the bottom of my make-up drawer, meaning I forget I even own them. Taking a step out of my comfort zone, the grey velvet shade from Daniel Sandler really is such a beautiful grey. In addition to this it's not too far off my trademark black eye liner which is great if that's what you're looking for. (I tried to show you in the swatch above that it can be built up to a dark grey shade very easily). It just gives a different look to my eye make-up routine and I think it works particularly well for someone with blue eyes, such as myself.The pencil itself is very soft, which is the one thing I need my eye liner pencils to be. I really hate it when you buy an eye liner pencil, normally a cheap one, only for it to feel scratchy on the eyelid. This just glides onto the skin. Very impressive and not too expensive considering it's more of a luxury make-up brand than what you would find in the drugstore.

Michael Kors Bronze Powder in Glow* £34This product genuinely has the most exquisite packaging of any product I have ever had the pleasure of owning. I did try my best to photograph this bronze powder closed but as the exterior of this the same gold mirrored effect that you can see slightly above,I found it quite difficult to get a good shot where you couldn't see me and my camera ruining the shot. Am I the only one who struggles to take photographs of mirrored products?This really is the kind of beauty purchase that is a real treat. I would certainly say that this shade would work for a multitude of skin tones as it's got a beautiful rosy undertone to it. It blends easily and has quite the subtle scent to it as well, which I've been reliably informed smells just like the Michael Kors fragrances. This is perfect for creating that bronzed beach goddess look and I now can't wait to treat myself to some more of the Michael Kors beauty line when I'm in the US later this year. I already have my eye on some of the lip and nail lacquers. Hurry up holiday!!So what luxury or slightly pricey beauty products do you like to treat yourself to, especially in the summer months? Have you tried any of the products featured in today's Summer Sun-days post? If so, what do you think of them?Do you prefer to spend that little bit extra on make-up or are you happy to scour the drugstore for great dupes and alternatives to the high-end make-up must-haves? Next week's Summer Sun-days post will be the last in the series and to celebrate I have something very exciting to share with you! Let's just say, it's the perfect way to celebrate the end of the Summer Sun-days series and hopefully the start of the proper summertime. I will also be recapping the series, which has been my very first beauty blog series over on Ellis Tuesday, so be sure to have a little look at that if you want to catch up on the rest of the Summer Sun-days series.

Ellis Tuesday is a beauty, fashion & lifestyle blog brought to you by Ellis, a self confessed shopaholic from Scotland with an overwhelming stash of beauty products and a love for all things leopard print.